Tivo/Replay/Broadcatching New Media.
I just started a thread on the upcoming TIVO IPO at:
techstocks.com
I guess I'll go ahead and crosspost it here because, other than Softbank, this seems to have been one of the hottest topics of discussion here at the Harmon thread over the past month. I'm sure Steve will have plenty to say when it IPO's, after all he's a Net stock guru, covered New Media for Jupiter Communications, and was an analyst @ Paul Kagan Associates. I work in the TV industry, so I recognize Paul Kagan as a leading market research firm in this area...
- Netconductor.com "toonces"
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TiVo integrates software and set-top boxes to facilitate digital interactive television with many capabilities, including 'time-shifting' content and filtering advertisements.
TIVO will IPO shortly. Go to freeedgar.com and do a keyword company search on 'Tivo' to see the highly detailed SEC Filing from 7/22/99.
Leading investors of Tivo include CBS, Comcast, Cox, News Corp.'s TV Guide Interactive and AT&T's Liberty Media. Ironically, a leading cloud on Tivo's horizon is the fact that these broadcasters/programmers are on the verge of suing Tivo and its leading rival, Replay Networks.
Traditional media has long relied on revenue streams generated from captive audiences but are now prepared to address this new threat through litigation, while hedging their bets by also investing in the new paradigm they fear.
A top story from Business Wire today notes they have formed an organization "Advanced Television Copyright Coalition" to "Band Together to Stomp Attacks On Their Profit Centers."
Comparisons regarding the legality of "time-shifting" are already being made to the "format-shifting" allowed by the Courts for the Diamond Rio MP3 player, after Diamond was sued by the Recording Industry, another old-media cartel.
Until the TIVO IPO, there are two forums on SI dedicated to IATV-ACTV, a company involved in a somewhat similar venture. Tivo and Replay have also been frequently mentioned on "The Steve Harmon" [brilliant net stock/new media analyst] board: techstocks.com
See the Upside feature interview with Real Networks CEO, Rob Glaser (someone I idolize):
upside.com
Where Glaser's key excerpt is this:
"But with video, you need broadband. You could end up having hybrids [such as] 'broadcatching,' where you transmit the video signal through traditional methods, satellite or cable, or digital spectrum [such as] the new HDTV spectrum, [or] the DVD spectrum. Then you catch [the signal] and manipulate it locally. Products [such as Replay Network's ReplayTV and TiVo Inc.'s personalized programming receiver and service] are the harbingers of that."
I'm hoping to eventually start a website (similar to my other sites) that covers all the news at:
broadcatching.com
- Netconductor.com "toonces" |
